cotton kilt socks for ginormous calves and normal humans

[Alan H]

I have ginormous outsized calves, and several years ago on advice I found on this forum, I purchased two of the "O'Marled" over-the-knee socks from Sock Dreams to use as kilt socks. I've now darned the last pair multiple times and the end is in sight, but man, I love those socks.

I've quietly nagged Sock Dreams to stock them again, and their staff keeps saying that "they're looking for a source of the yarn", but it's been years and hope is fading. However, On recommendation of SD staffer and all around awesome lass, Rosalind, I bought two pairs of Sock Dream's M-45's. I've now worn them each, once, and here's a review.

SWEET. Even though the sizing says size 5-10, they fit on my size 13 feet just fine. They're light for hot days. They don't have as nice a roll-over top cuff as the O'Marleds did, but they're acceptable. Here's my only warning..... if you have outsized calves like me, stick to the lighter colors of sock. The M-45's aren't as dense a weave as the O'Marleds were and the weave "opens up" a bit as the sock stretches and your skin tones will show through. That wasn't a problem with the natural cotton color and light gray socks that I bought, but it probably would be with a darker color. Also, when the weave opens up, the white elastic shows through...so again, stick with lighter colors. If you have normal human being calves instead of tree stumps like me, then almost certainly the darker colors will work just fine.

They're great for really hot days or for lads and lasses who don't tolerate wool very well.

Here's the web page at Sock Dreams...don't be put off by the toe'd-in cutesy lasses leg pictures.

http://www.sockdreams.com/products/m45s?t=14079&